Esoterica
by CandaceFace
Summary: Sometimes, old mysteries are better left unsolved. Some doors are better left locked. Throw away the keys, turn away, never look back. The protagonist is an OC named Josette Willenbough, the antagonist is Sephiroth. Zack plays a very heavy role as well. Early 20th century AU, mystery, paranormal, suspense, supernatural, horror, epic. Definitely rated M!


**Short author's note, I am very proud of this one. It's going to be long, full of twists and turns, and very intense. _Not for the faint of heart!_**

Date: September 17th, 1923.

Case Name: Josette Willenbough.

Description: Paranormal, homicide, kidnapping, disappearance, the unexplained.

Documented by Bugenhagen

"It was a curious time for the citizens of Midgar. The war had just ended, industrialization was well on it's way, and there was no doubt that the world was changing. Shinra Electric Co. had developed a striking new process of manufacturing energy using natural, magical resource called mako. See, that was what the war with Wutai was initially about. Shinra deemed Wutai an especially fertile land, filled to the brim with the magical mako energy that had been keeping the citizens of Midgar comfortable and prosperous for years by this point. I knew a few of the big wigs in Shinra at the time, and two worth mentioning here are Scarlett and Hiedegger. Wutai's resistance to Shinra's hankering to harvest their mako had those two chomping at the bit for war. War was their job; they were particularly good at building nasty machines of war. Now, the unique thing about Shinra, at the time, was their military. It was rare that a company as humdrum as Shinra Electric would have an army, but they did as they grew ever powerful. They pulled it off quite stunningly, actually, and particularly of note was their genetically modified, mako enhanced elite military unit SOLDIER. It was the SOLDIERs who would ultimately conquer Wutai and convince, quite forcibly and with brutal violence, Lord Godo to allow Shinra to harvest the mako within Wutai's lands. The day of the army's return and corresponding parade is where we will start the documentation of this case."

Bugenhagen sighed and wiped the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief. Cosmo Canyon was having a very hot summer indeed. He was old, and he was tired, but this case had piqued his interest. Of course, that very well could have been because of the involvement of a few young men and women that he once helped in their quest to save the planet, years ago. It had been a few years now since he had last heard from them, given the amount of time since Meteor Fall, and even longer since he had seen them face to face. Even his young grandson Nanaki had lost track of the other brave AVALANCHE members, though Bugenhagen was nearly certain of their whereabouts. In any event, he hadn't contacted any of them about this case that he was documenting and unraveling as a favor for Reeve Tuesti of the WRO. Reeve had specifically requested that he didn't mention it to anyone, especially those men and women. He couldn't be sure of whether or not they would remember, anyway. They were quite young at the time.

He gazed at the many dusty volumes stacked within the bookshelves of his study. There were some very important (and very _very_ secret, most likely illegal) documents hidden within, that he would no doubt be digging through to try and solve this. Hopefully, he would solve the mystery of the unsung Ancient that even the great Shinra didn't know about.

He had little to work with. Given to him, along with a few pictures and autopsy reports, was a book. A very worn and weathered, small leather book with a frayed dusty pink ribbon marking the last page of text that had been penned in by the owner. It was the diary of a young woman named Josette Willenbough. He had read it, countless times, poured over each word, studied the differences in the style of writing, noting the times when she was calm and happy, when she was anxious or angry, and particularly when she was rushed and frightened. This diary had seen all of the things that she had seen, and it was the very key to the mystery.

Something that Bugenhagen had yet to figure out was why Reeve was so hellbent on deciphering this mystery. It was truly unimportant by this point. But he supposed now was not the time for those questions, and that this young girl was more important than his own curiosity.

He looked at his typewriter and began writing again, playing out the well-memorized story in his mind like a play, as if the very events had been recorded within his own mind, there for him to watch...

"Josette, _really_, must you be so difficult!"

"Mother, _really_, must you be such a perfectionist!"

"I will not be seen with you looking like this! Especially on a day like today!"

Josette Willenbough and her mother couldn't have been less alike. This very well could have been because Josette was, in fact, adopted, a story that was vaguely explained to her when she was younger by her mother, who generally didn't explain anything well enough for anyone to understand, other than local gossip from the neighbors, of course. All she knew was that she was dropped off at an orphanage as an infant, and her adopted mother courageously picked her up that same day. Mrs. Willenbough was lonely with her husband having passed away. It was the year 1903, and the war of their time was, at last, over. Everyone was rejoicing the return of their beloved SOLDIERS, the victorious conquerers, who had fought valiantly and triumphed over the far away land of Wutai. Frankly, Josette wasn't too keen on the idea of anyone fighting and slaying and the like. Her mother couldn't understand that, of course, much in the same way her mother couldn't understand why she wouldn't want her body stuffed into a corset, and why she didn't allow nice young men to court her, and why she spent so much time with mysterious people Mrs. Willenbough knew nothing about. Her mother could hardly understand anything about her or the way she thought and felt.

She especially would never understand the far away voices and whispers Josette often heard when the world was quiet. She'd been hearing them since she was a small child, and had only told one other soul about them. For a very long time, the voices scared and confused her, but as years went by, she became resigned to the fact that they would forever be a part of her life, and began to attempt to listen patiently to them, though she hardly ever fully understood what any of them said. What was more confusing was that the voices and whispers that she had become familiar with had begun to be drowned out... by _terrible_ screams that tormented her in the night.

"That corset is _completely_ unacceptable! It is not fitting you right at all! It's nearly embarrassing! And your _hair_-"

"I can barely breathe as it is! And my hair is fine. It doesn't need to be all twisted and bound up like a nest the way everyone else's is! A simple braid is quite fine by me."

"Fine by you, but _embarrassing_ for me! Look at all of those gangling stray locks that haven't been pinned back!"

They had been arguing in the foyer for nearly thirty minutes now. Glancing out of the window, Josette could faintly see confetti and balloons and fireworks in the air, and she could hear the fanfare of a marching band in the breeze.

"We're missing the parade," she said finally, hoping to end the argument.

"Yes we are, and all because of you!"

"Petulance is unbecoming, mother."

Mrs. Willenbough scowled, shoved her flowered hat upon her head, and stormed out of the door, while Josette smiled in satisfaction, blowing a puff of air towards her forehead to attempt to shift slightly untidy black bangs away from her bright green eyes. She followed behind, closing the door of their townhouse and getting a slightly better look at the welcoming parade that had started moments before. She lived in the hilltops of Midgar, where she had the privilege of getting a beautiful view of the expansive city every day when stepping out of her door. She sighed contentedly, tucking her diary under her arm and gently putting on her favorite pale yellow gloves that she thought went perfectly with her soft green dress- though she would have preferred pants. She unfolded her yellow umbrella to protect herself from the unrelenting sun and half-heartedly attempted to catch up with her mother, whose form was bobbing angrily down the sidewalk several meters ahead of her.

It was a new age for inner-city comfort. Everything was mako powered these days. Public transportation was now faster and cleaner than ever, water was as hot as you could imagine without ever running cold, and there was no longer need for the dangerous natural element of fire. Mako was the future, as was Shinra. Though, Josette couldn't help but wonder about the motives of the super-corporation. She had heard many rumors, a few of them straight from the mouth of an insider of the company, in fact.

Thinking on that for a moment, she nearly stopped in her tracks when she saw a black-haired figure in a pressed, blue-grey SOLDIER uniform running down the sidewalk in her direction. Individuals and couples and families were diving to the sides of the walkway, trying to avoid a collision with the abnormally fast person that was running full speed ahead towards her, uphill. She clutched her shawl and her diary to her and prepared to move to the side, until she realized who it was.

She gasped and her face broke into the widest smile she had been able to muster in months. Not since the last time she saw him.

"Zack!"

He had his helmet tucked under his arm, but promptly threw it to the side in lieu of grasping Josette by the waist and tossing her high into the air, no doubt showing off his enhanced SOLDIER strength.

"Josette!" He exclaimed, catching her and pulling her into a fierce hug, burying his face into her neck. "Boy, is it good to see you finally!"

"You can say that again!"

He released her and grasped her shoulders, pushing her back to get a good view of her.

"Hoo man, look at you. A corset! Finally growing up and acting like a lady?"

Josette rolled her eyes but grinned nonetheless. "Sorry, this is mostly my mother's doing. I'm still the tomboy you remember."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Zack said, a warm smile overtaking his face.

"Wait a minute..." Josette said, brushing his hands away from her shoulders, furrowing her brow, "You're supposed to be in the parade right now!"

"I know! Man, Angeal is gonna _kill_ me later!" He looked nearly thrilled at the idea as he shook out his black hair that he had been growing out for a year now. Josette thought that he had started to grow it out in the hopes of having it as long as the General Sephiroth's some day, but she wouldn't say that in front of the young SOLDIER.

"Zack!" Josette put her hands on her hips. "He's gonna have it in for you! This is important! You guys just got back from a _war_. War, Zack! You're lucky you're not dead!"

"Tch, _Wutai_ is lucky it's still standing after _I_ got through with it-"

"Oh hush, you cocky bastard."

"You kiss your mother with that mouth?" Zack asked, his hand on his chest, glowing mako blue eyes wide, looking completely abashed.

"Shut up. I know what a SOLDIER mouth sounds like, and it's no prettier."

"Oh, and _you_ would know _all_ about those SOLDIER mouths-"

"_Shhhh!_ What if someone hears you?!" Josette looked around frantically, hoping no one heard- particularly none of her neighbors.

"It's okay, Jo, you only kissed Kunsel and that one third class that I can't remember... Besides, people don't get all stirred up over stuff like that anymore- 'specially not kissing."

"Not in this part of town, Zack. People in this neighborhood are different. You _know_ what this part of town is like."

"Yeah. Stuffy and stuck in last century..." Josette nearly reminded him that 'last century' was only three years ago. Zack grimaced, before something seemed to dawn on him. "Hey! I've got a great idea! There's a little party going on at this new bar that just opened up in Sector 7. Seventh Heaven, you been there yet?"

Josette shook her head 'no'. Zack should have known though, she never went out to places like that unless she was with him, or other SOLDIERS that she actually knew and trusted. She was a bit rebellious, but she wasn't nearly as brave as Aerith.

"Well, a few of the boys that have been home from Wutai for a while told me about it. Supposed to be top notch, with this hot, hot, _hot_ bartender running the place. They're throwing a huge 'Welcome Home' party for the SOLDIERS tonight. And," he waggled his eyebrows and straightened up, showing off his impeccable SOLDIER posture, "it would be my honor and great pleasure if you would accompany me to this quaint celebration."

Josette laughed and smirked, punching Zack in the arm.

"Of course I'll come along, you dunce."

"Great! Perfect. I can't wait to catch up and hang out, _finally_. And hey, I really want you to meet my new friend. He's a new Cadet, blonde, blue-eyed, kind of precious. You'll adore him. He's kinda quiet at first, but he's a real nice guy, once you get him talking. Gets motion sickness real bad, though... Anyways, we'll get the whole gang together. Me, you, Kunsel, Angeal if we can convince his boring ass to come along, Aerith, and Cloud."

"Cloud is the precious one?"

"Yeah! He's really just shy, though. He won't be that way for long. He's got a lot of potential as a SOLDIER."

"I thought you said he was just Cadet?"

"Well, yeah, he failed his test, but he'll make it next time! I just know it! He's got _months_ to practice."

"You are the most optimistic human I've ever met."

"Didn't get where I am today by being a Debbie-Downer!" Zack put his fists on his hips and lifted his chin, grinning cheerily.

"Yeah, Mr. Second-Class," Josette teased as she began to walk down the sidewalk again. It would seem that her mother had left her in the dust. Zack ran to grab his now-scratched helmet from the flower box it had landed in, and rushed up beside Josette to walk with her.

"Won't you get in trouble for scratching that thing?" Josette asked, gesturing to the helmet.

"Nah. I never wear it anyways. Or this fancy uniform for that matter. It's just for show, really. Our uniforms we wear during battle, training, and all that are actually way more modern and practical than these monkey suits."

"I wouldn't know," Josette said, looking off in the direction of the parade. "Say, when are they gonna promote you to First, anyway?"

"Dunno," Zack said with a shrug. "I was hoping Angeal would recommend me before now..." The smallest amount of glumness graced his features briefly before he pepped up again. "But hey, with my performance during the last mission, he's bound to recommend me!"

"Please, spare me the bloody details."

"I know, I know."

Josette and Zack had been the best of friends since the very day he had arrived in Midgar from his home-town Gongaga to join SOLDIER. He was overwhelmed with culture-shock, of course, being a simple country boy who had never seen the likes of a place like Midgar. He ended up obscenely lost. On that day, Josette was returning to her townhouse with a bag full of groceries when she noticed a young Zack Fair with short black hair sitting on the sidewalk looking depressed, seemingly muttering to himself. Her sense of kindness getting the best of her, she approached him softly and asked, "Are you okay?"

"No," he pouted, sighing to himself.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm lost!" He threw up his hands and gestured to the sweeping city of Midgar, seemingly without hope. Josette took note of his clothes. They were simple, rustic.

"You're not from around here, huh?"

"Nah. Just got off the train from Gongaga."

"Goodness, you are far from home, aren't you? Where are you trying to get to?"

"That big place over there!"

He had gestured to the Shinra building.

"It's so huge, I don't know how I keep missing it! This place is like a maze! A maze made out of _witchcraft_!"

Josette was really trying to be nice and not laugh at him, but he was adorably oblivious. It was endearing.

"Well, if you take this road we're on here," she gestured to her right, "And go left at the sign for 1st Loveless Street. you'll pass a flower shop, and then you'll see a sign for the Sector 7 train. If you take that little road, you run into the stop. If you get on the Sector 7 train, you'll hitch a ride to Sector 7 station, and from there, you'll cross the street and head towards the next stop for the Shinra building. After you get off that train, you'll find signs leading the way to Shinra's main entrance. It's pretty self-explanatory."

He turned and looked up at her with not only the most hopeless, puppy-dog expression she'd ever seen, but the clearest, brightest blue eyes she had ever encountered. They weren't quite as luminous as they would be after he began the mako treatment, but they captured her heart all the same. At his expression then, she had to force herself to hold back a snort of laughter and made a decision that would change her life.

"You want me to go with you? I have time. I didn't want to go home anyways."

His face lit up and he jumped to his feet, immediately pulling her into a bone-crushing bear hug.

"Wow! That sure would be great! Thanks!"

"You're... wel...come..." Josette grunted.

"Oh! Sorry," he said, releasing her from his iron grip.

"It's okay," she said stifling a laugh. He was infectious and lovable and she couldn't resist. "Just let me put these groceries in my house really quick. It's that pale blue townhouse down the way."

"Okay, yeah, I see it," he said, looking down the street in the wrong direction.

Josette really laughed this time, grabbing his chin, and turning his head in the opposite direction.

"Oh! Oh. Yeah, I see it, now."

"Come on, let's go."

It was as easy as breathing. Josette Willenbough hooked her arm around Zack Fair's, and they had the funnest, silliest adventure across town you could imagine, getting Zack to his new home at Shinra where he would later become a SOLDIER, Second Class.

They would become best friends. Two peas in a pod, like brother and sister. Later, Zack would admit his feelings for other guys in his class, but how he also fancied a flower girl from the slums. Josette would admit her feelings for a girl who she saw in the bookstore almost every day, but how she also really liked a guy she had been friends with while they were in grade-school together. And then they would share more secrets, reaching into their hearts and pulling out their deepest, darkest selves and showing each other the true nature of their souls. Josette never was and never would be closer to anyone else.

Josette was writing, and struggling not to run into anything, in her diary while she strolled down the street with Zack on that day of the parade.

"Why do you scribble in that thing all the time?" Zack asked, playfully swiping at it.

"_Because_," Josette articulated, while snatching her diary away so that Zack's prying hand would miss it in the knick of time, "I have a lot to keep track of. Particularly about... well, you know..."

"The voices you hear?" Zack near-whispered.

"Yeah. And I had a vision the other day, too."

"Oh yeah?" Zack was always politely supportive when it came to Josette and the voices. He didn't understand it, not in the slightest, but he knew Josette, and he knew she wouldn't make this sort of thing up just for attention. If it had been simply for attention's sake, he wouldn't have been the only person she wanted to tell. He trusted her. "What was it about?"

"Well..." her steps slowed a bit as she thought, her eyes looking beyond her diary and at the sidewalk. "It's hard to say, actually. There were a lot of machines and stuff, and I couldn't begin to tell you what they were for. But there were sleeping people floating in these big glass vials full of bubbly green stuff, and there was a scientist, or maybe he was a doctor, in a lab coat. He was laughing. It looked like they were in an old dungeon or something. Like the kind from the 15th century, or something like that."

"Green stuff? Hmm."

"What?"

"Mako is green. It looks kind of bubbly in the syringes, too, but I've never seen a 'vial' big enough to fit a full-grown person."

"Now that you mention it though, I can't think of anything else it might have been."

"So, what else happened?"

"Well, the part I really remember most was while I was watching this scientist do all this stuff, a woman appeared beside me. She had long brown hair, like Aerith's. She was really pretty. But she looked so sad, and when I looked at her, she made me feel... guilty, I guess. Then the vision ended."

"What do you have to be guilty for? You've never hurt a fly."

"I don't know. Maybe she didn't mean to make _me_ feel guilty. Maybe I was simply feeling how _she_ felt. I don't know. I haven't figured it out yet. It's my first vision, you know."

"You say it like it like it's normal," Zack teased.

"Hey, for all I know, it could be! What if there was a whole society of people who were just like me? You know, able to hear spirit voices and see visions?"

"You think the voices are spirits?"

"Mm-hmm. I'm pretty positive."

"You've... been thinking about this a lot lately, haven't you?"

"Yeah. It's really been nagging at me. I feel like I need to figure all of this out. I feel like the voices are trying to tell me something _really_ important. And ever since they've started screaming..."

"Whoa whoa, hey, screaming?" Zack stopped dead in his tracks. He looked truly concerned now.

"Yes. It's like... All of the spirits are in pain or something. They sound as if they're in complete agony. I feel for them. Each and every one. I don't want them to hurt anymore."

"Well..." Zack said, reaching up to rub the back of his neck, "Just make sure... I mean... Just be careful, okay?"

"Careful?" Josette rolled her eyes and giggled. "Zack, if this were dangerous, I probably wouldn't have even bothered. In fact, I'd be locked in my bedroom like a scared rabbit. You know how I am..."

"Yeah, I know how you are, you worry wart. Danger's not your thing. You've let everyone know."

Zack smiled and winked. He might poke fun, but he would never want her to change.

They walked the moderate distance downtown onto Main Street, where the parade was passing through. It was very loud, and almost uncomfortable on Josette's ears. The marching band was large and overpowering, and the music mingled with the shouts, whistles, cheers, claps, and a few rude yet playful jeers here and there. A few onlookers who weren't entirely enamored with the parade gave Zack some curious glances, considering he was dressed exactly like the SOLDIERs in the parade, but he took no notice. His arm was wound around Josette's waist, keeping her close to him, and he was smiling wide. He was simply happy to be with his friend again. To be honest- and he wouldn't tell Josette this- he was relieved to be home. As light as he often made war sound, it wasn't as easy as he tried to make it out to be. It was... scary sometimes. Brutal. Horrifying. Bloody. He wouldn't tell her about the Wutai special forces that nearly made him second guess himself and Shinra right before he slaughtered them. He wouldn't tell her about the few SOLDIERs that went so far as to rape some of the Wutaian girls. He wouldn't tell her about the way Lord Godo's head sailed and rolled out of sight after Sephiroth beheaded him, swiftly, gracefully, _beautifully_. He wouldn't tell her _exactly_ how much he admired the ruthless killer that commanded him.

He noticed that his smile had dropped, and quickly replaced it with another grin towards Josette.

The confetti that fell and scattered around them was white. It looked contradictorily like snow in the middle of a hot summer day. The balloons were different shades of orange, yellow, and red, and the fireworks were of the same colors, though not so vivid against the daylight sky. Josette pointed and laughed and clapped. She hadn't been so happy- and so relieved- in a long time. She watched the SOLDIERs march by, some looking strong and fit, others wilting slightly more. She knew a few of them were injured, but she was just so happy to see all of them safe and alive. She may not agree with Shinra's practices, but she believed all life to be sacred and precious. Every SOLDIER that day was a hero in her eyes.

"Hey, hey, it's Kunsel!" Zack said, waving furiously.

"How do you know it's him? They all look the same with those helmets." She saw the one that was supposedly Kunsel do a double take and open his mouth to yell, but he had a second thought and turned his head so that he was looking forward again, his posture back at attention.

"He hardly ever takes his helmet off while we're at work. You start to recognize who he is based on body shape and mannerisms."

"That's... surprisingly observant of you," Josette laughed.

"I didn't go through all that military training for nothing!"

"Oh look, here come the Cadets!"

The Cadets were a smaller group, there were only about ten of them. Zack pointed out the shorter one who seemed to be attempting to stand taller and straighter than all of the others, although he was still rather like a runt in comparison.

"That's Cloud."

"Really? He's so..." Josette trailed off looking highly skeptical.

"Small, yeah. He's got a fire in him, though."

"If you say so..."

"Hey, let's head to the side street where the parade ends. We can grab Kunsel and Cloud. And hopefully I can find Angeal... Wherever we see Genesis or Sephiroth, he'll be with them. Then we can head on over to Sector 7 and start celebrating! Look, the sun's starting to go down."

Indeed it was, Josette noticed, as she took in the slight orange tint that began to cloak the scenery, and there was a slight increase in noticeability of the fireworks.

"Come on, we gotta hurry!" Zack urged as he grabbed her elbow and started dragging her along.

Josette laughed and did her best to keep up, which was a bit harder for her since she was wearing her heeled boots. What she would give to be wearing some sensible shoes, no corset, and a pair of pants!

They practically tore their way through the herd-like crowd with jovial smiles on their faces, weaving through adults, and watching their step for small children. Josette was quite out of breath when they had reached the side street between a general store and a barber shop where the SOLDIERS were in mixed states of celebration and mournfulness. There was raucous laughter, reassuring pats on shoulders, long and solemn hugs, horse-playing, and quiet tears. Josette looked around her in wonder, surveying each invaluable man and breathing out a silent prayer into air that each would live long and happy lives, never having to experience what they had in war again.

Zack seemed entirely distracted by trying to find Kunsel and Cloud, and when he finally spotted a young man taking off his helmet and shaking out shoulder-length brown locks, he whooped and started running.

"Hey! Kunsel!" Zack shouted.

"Zack!" Kunsel exclaimed, his hazel eyes widening in surprise and excitement.

They smacked into each other with a dull thud and embraced, slapping their open palms on each other's backs like stereotypical men, each of them murmuring how good it was to be home.

"You son of a bitch!" Kunsel said, pulling away. "Why the hell weren't you in the parade?"

"Hey, watch your mouth!" Another SOLDIER bellowed. "There's a lady here!"

"Oh, her?" Kunsel asked, pointing his thumb in Josette's direction, "She's got a worse mouth than I do!" He looked at her and winked.

Josette pressed her lips together in slight mortification. She really wished that he wouldn't wink at her like that. She kissed him once during a night out with the gang, but it was only the one time, and she was hoping he would forget about it the way she was trying to.

"Tch," Zack sounded with a roll of his eyes, "since when do I follow rules?"

"You have a point there..." Kunsel said, trailing off, looking as though a thousand fond memories of Zack's previous stints of being up to no good had flashed before his eyes. "Anyway, we're all about to head back to Shinra to check back in with Director Lazard. He says he wants everyone to check in tonight, to make sure everyone who wasn't already sent back as a casualty or killed in action made it home. Anyone who doesn't is gonna catch hell."

"Sheesh, can't we celebrate at all before it's back to work? What a slave-driver."

"You know how he is. He's strict, but you know he's been running things like a well-oiled machine for years."

"Yeah, yeah," Zack said with a wave of his hand. "Hey, while you're doing that, try to find Angeal and Cloud for me, eh? We're all going down to the new bar in Sector 7, and that's final. Aerith's coming, too."

"Yes sir, shit," Kunsel said, shaking his head in exasperation. "I can't believe you've skipped out on the parade and now you're skipping out on checking in. Do you _want_ Angeal on your ass?"

Zack answered with a mere eyebrow waggle.

"Oh _God_ man, that's disgusting!"

"You know you've fantasized about it."

"The hell I have... That is _foul_."

"Uh-huh," Zack said, grinning and squinting his eyes. "Just get in touch with those two for me. You're a master at finding people."

"It's a wonder I'm not special forces yet."

"I've been saying it for years," Zack said, bringing a heavy hand down on Kunsel's shoulder. "But me and Josette are going back to her place so she can change, then we'll grab Aerith from her house, and then we'll head to Sector 7. You guys better be on the way by then!"

"Alright, alright, pushy."

"I mean business," Zack said, winking at him and backing away.

He whipped around and ran towards Josette again, pulling her along at a pace that was simply too fast for her.

"Zack," she said, huffing and puffing, "I can't keep running like this! I'm not SOLDIER!"

"Oh, sorry. I forget not everybody has stamina like ours."

He slowed down to a brisk walk, while Josette made the continuous effort to catch her breath.

"I just can't _handle_ you sometimes, Zack."

"That ain't the first time I've heard that!"

"Oh, would you _stop_ it!"

"Sorry. Can't. You know my nature."

Josette rolled her eyes. Boys could be so puerile and stupid sometimes. She wondered how they hadn't died out by now, like the dinosaurs. They hurried back to her townhouse on the north side of the city, taking shortcuts and side streets that they had memorized like the lines on their palms. They had gotten up to so much trouble together, that sometimes hurrying home or hiding from policemen was of pretty high importance. They knew the city and all of it's little nooks and crannies quite well.

All of the traveling was taking a toll on Josette's spark, though. She was panting heavily and clutching at a stitch in her side by the time they had stopped at her front door. She was huffing and wilting, and Zack almost wanted to make fun of her.

"Before you say anything, I'm going to go ahead and tell you to shut up," she said as she gasped for air.

Zack pretended to lock his lips closed.

"Wanna come in? Mother isn't home. She won't be until after dinner, I expect."

"And even if she is, I can hop out of the window like I always do."

Josette giggled, and she felt the smallest bit scandalous. If her mother knew that she was sneaking a boy into the house, and that it wasn't even the first time, Gaia knows she might have a heart attack!

She opened her small brown bag that had been hanging from her elbow during the entire trip and extracted a small house key. She hurriedly unlocked the door and opened it, pulling Zack inside, smiling brightly and trying not to laugh too loudly. The walls of townhouses were notoriously paper-thin.

"It's been ages since we've done this," Zack murmured.

"I know, it feels like it's been forever. I can't believe the neighbors haven't caught us yet," said Josette softly as she locked the door behind them.

"Maybe they have, and they just haven't said anything to sweet old Mother."

"Oh please, Mother makes sure to get everything out of them. I think she bribes them to track me and make sure I'm not doing anything _illegal_."

"Wait... Seriously?" Zack looked disturbed at the information.

"I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest."

Josette didn't bother to turn on any lamps as she sauntered through her house with Zack following close behind. It was very quiet, and the sound of Zack's deep breathing seemed very loud in her ears. Her cheeks felt a bit hot and her heart fluttered, the way they sometimes did whenever she became hyperaware of Zack and how close the two friends could be at times. She wasn't in love with him, not in that way, but they were young people, and if anything in this world is concrete, it's the way young people look at each other and imagine what the other would look like unclothed and in their bedchambers.

The house was a bit on the dark side, since the sun had now set, and twilight had blanketed the city like a subdued, twinkling haze. Zack could see much better than Josette with his SOLDIER eyes, and he was close behind her, prepared to catch her if she tripped. That was a very plausible occurrence, considering she was wearing heels, which hardly ever happened. He followed her right through the threshold of her bedroom door, plopped on her bed, and watched her with a pleasant smile on his face while she put away her umbrella and purse.

"Ya know," he started as he flopped on his back with his hands behind his head, gazing at the ceiling, "I think Kunsel still has a thing for you."

"Oh don't _remind_ me," Josette said as she unfolded her pale blue privacy screen to change behind.

"You don't like him back?"

"No way!" She grumbled. With a scowl she stepped behind the screen and began unbuttoning her dress.

"Why not?"

"He's not really my type, I guess..."

"I thought you liked SOLDIERs."

"Well, I guess I shouldn't say _type_... It's really not an accurate word to use." Josette was getting irritated. She didn't want to talk about this. She just wanted to live and let live and be friends with the guy. "Besides, you can't just pick out who you like based on what you think your type is! That'd be like picking out the person you want to marry the same way you pick out stockings in the morning..."

"I have a type."

"Oh really? I don't believe you." Josette rolled her eyes and grinned. She was happy they weren't talking about Kunsel anymore. She pulled off her dress and pushed it around her ankles before kicking it to the side.

"I do, seriously."

"Yes, and what might this 'type' be?" She asked the question with sarcasm and pulled the strings of her corset to untie it. She wiggled and finagled and pulled at the laces until it was loose enough to pull off. She sighed and held back a groan of pleasure at being released from that insufferable cage.

Zack was silent in thought as she did this, and he finally answered after a chuckle.

"Ya know, now that I think about it, I guess I like more than just one type..."

Josette dropped her petticoat and tossed it aside.

"See, just what I said!" She exclaimed with a triumphant grin, but stopped short when her hand fell upon cold wood where her change of clothes was supposed to be. In her disgruntlement over the subject of Kunsel, she had forgotten to take her change of clothes with her behind the privacy screen.

"Zack, I'm kind of in a bind, and I don't really know what to do."

"What's that?" Josette heard a rustle as he sat upright on her bed and criss-crossed his legs.

"I forgot to bring my clothes back here with me."

The room fell quite silent in a way that was nearly mortifying for the both of them.

"I mean, we're close enough friends..."

"It's not like you're going to violate me..."

"I mean, of course I'd never..."

"You're my best friend and all..."

"I'm a total nobody without you..."

"The screen is really only for modesty's sake..."

"Who in this room is even modest anyway?"

Josette bit her bottom lip and said, "That's actually a really good point, there."

She covered her breasts with her arms and stepped lightly from behind her screen, blushing a little darker than she really would have liked. She took a step towards her chest of drawers where her change of clothes tauntingly lay, and dared to look up at Zack. He was sitting exactly where he had been before, on Josette's bed, cross-legged and leaning back on the palms of his hands. His face was mildly shocked, pleasant as usual, but not without a touch of desire gracing his features.

Josette was frozen halfway between her privacy screen and her chest of drawers next to her bed. Why she had chosen to observe him at this point, she wasn't quite sure. Maybe she was genuinely, albeit maybe morbidly, curious as to what his reaction to her near-full nudity would look like. Maybe she wanted to know precisely how a man looks at a naked woman. Maybe she trusted Zack to show her that without trying to deflower her.

"Maybe I shouldn't say anything, but when do I care?" Zack said slowly, not taking his eyes away from hers.

"What is it?" Josette said softly, in a small, timid voice.

"You are... you're..."

He seemed to be at war with himself, trying to find the right descriptive word for her.

"Hideous?" Josette finished for him, a playful grin back on her face.

"No! No. I just couldn't think of a word good enough. I almost said 'beautiful', but that's not good enough. A lot of women are beautiful..."

Josette was shocked at what she was hearing- no, shocked is an understatement. She was astonished, bewildered, staggered.

Zack furrowed his brow and frowned, his face etched in a look of deep concentration that Josette rarely saw.

"You're perfect."

Josette quickly looked down at the floor and mumbled, "Zack, don't say things like that, you make it seem like..." She trailed off into silence.

"No, no, I'm not trying to ruin our friendship or anything! I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that, it's just that you're so pretty, and you've always been pretty, and... I don't know, I guess I just wanted to tell you. I don't tell you enough. You need someone to tell you that you're pretty all the time, and I know for damn sure that your mother doesn't. You don't see Aerith enough for her to tell you... So I guess I've decided that it's up to me."

With a look of determination, Zack stood up slowly and took unhurried steps towards her. Josette was beginning to think that she should have figured something else out than just hopping out from behind her screen.

Curiosity had gotten the better of her.

He stood in front of her, quite close, and put his gloved hands on her delicate shoulders. Big, unsure green eyes stared into glowing, determined blue ones, and Zack wrapped his arms around her and gave her the most comforting hug she's ever received. He buried his face in her neck and inhaled the way he always did, and she tentatively pulled her willowy arms away from her breasts to wrap tightly around his middle. They breathed into each other, both of them nearly hypnotized by the other. They had never done anything like this before, not in all of the years that they had been friends, not during any of the times he had been in this room.

Josette had an urge to kiss Zack. Fully, softly on his pale pink lips. The more she thought about it, the more she considered it. Why shouldn't she? Why shouldn't she turn her face towards his and take his lips the way she had taken Kunsel's and that third-class's? Except it would be so much more, because it would be Zack, her best friend with the most beautiful blue eyes she'd ever seen.

And she would have if she hadn't been frozen. She would have if Zack hadn't loosened his grip on her to trail his leather-clad fingertips up and down her fair, smooth back, causing her skin to erupt and prickle pleasantly with goose-flesh. She would have if he hadn't begun to stroke her from neck to shoulder with the tip of his nose, his breath flooding over her skin like a warm, passionate tide.

Josette went from frozen to hot and limp as he pressed his hands against the middle of her back, making her body arch into his, and sealed his hot, wet mouth upon her shoulder, his slick, burning tongue savoring her skin.

Zack ended the kiss to her skin and brought his mouth to her ear to whisper, "You taste as good as you always smell."

With that, and before anything had registered with Josette at all it seemed, they heard brisk, clicking footsteps outside of the window.

"_Mother_," Josette hissed, going white and stricken with horror.

"Shit," Zack mumbled before grabbing Josette's change of clothes and pushing them into her chest.

Silently, Josette pulled them on as they heard the doorknob downstairs rattle gently while the door was being unlocked.

"Come 'ere," Zack mumbled, holding out his strong arms.

"Wait, my diary!" Josette whimpered desperately, looking around the room for her small, leather journal.

"No time!" Zack said as he heard slow, leisurely steps climbing the stairs.

Josette found it behind her privacy screen and ran to Zack. They had done this many times before when they had both been here when Josette said she would be somewhere else and her Mother came home early. This time was so much more frantic and terrifying, though. She had been naked, they had been so close to consuming each other, and she had actually been doing the things that her Mother had always suspected, that she had never done before. He scooped Josette up into his arms and climbed through the open window, standing on the ledge, preparing to jump. He heard the door to Josette's room open behind him as he tightened his grip and jumped, landing silently on the ground a story and a half below.

Josette was trembling not only with fear and anxiety, but also fury.

"What was she doing in my room?" She whispered angrily as they ran down the dark street.

"Maybe she's been checking your room for things... or people." Zack said a little louder as they got further down the road. He looked guilty.

"Zack," Josette pleaded, slowing down to a walk, "please don't look like that."

"That was completely unwarranted. I shouldn't have done that."

"It was my fault! I'm the one who wanted to flounce about in nothing but my drawers!"

"It's not _your_ fault that _I_ decided to _touch_ you!"

"Maybe that was what I wanted!"

"So you came out from behind that screen almost completely stripped to lure me to you?"

"I... well, that wasn't my initial plan, but it ended up being a pretty tempting thought that I... couldn't really resist. So I just went with it."

"Josette, if your mother hadn't come home, I would have... I could have..."

"You wanted to take me?"

They had stopped in the middle of the street to face each other. They could faintly hear the sound of the Sector 7 train in the distance that would take them to the slums where they would find Aerith.

"Yeah, I did."

Josette wanted to ask him something about how he felt about Aerith, but thought better of it. She didn't want to make him even more upset than he already was.

"It wouldn't have been a bad thing to do..."

"It wouldn't have? Jo, you're like my sister. Doing... _that_ with you could have destroyed everything for me. You're everything I've got here. If I did anything to hurt our friendship, I wouldn't know how to live with myself."

"Nothing would have changed," Josette said quietly. She looked up into his eyes, and he recognized the look on her face as one not to argue with. This was a look full of absolution, a look that told him that she was, in fact, _right_.

"So what, you want us to screw now?"

"Don't say it like that!"

"Why not? That's all it is, isn't it?"

"Screwing is what you do with some randy slut, not me!"

"That doesn't answer my question, you know."

"I..." Josette honestly wasn't sure. She wanted to, oh yes, did she, but now that she's thinking on it... "I don't know."

"Then I was right to begin with. I shouldn't have done that."

"Oh can we just forget about it and go get Aerith!"

"Sure, fine by me. Just remember, this conversation isn't over yet!"

"Fine."

"Fine."

So the two friends, a little less excited now, both with their feathers more ruffled than they wanted to admit, strolled down the street together, keeping an unusual distance between them. Aerith would be finishing up supper with her mother now, and soon the trio would be together and on their way to celebrate.

**So this is like AU, but not, but it is. Uhh.**

**I'm finally writing something that I _really_ like?**

**Stayed tuned, dis shit gone get cray.**

**Oh, and let me know how you feel/what you think about this?**

** xoxo,**

** -CandaceFace**


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